120 POMOLOGY 



Hence, if it requires from two to three hours to thin a tree, 

 the cost can readily be computed. 



It is obviously unfair to charge all the cost against thin- 

 ning, since the same apples would have to be picked in the 

 fall and at a greater expense, and also it would require more 

 handling of inferior fruit and greater grading expense than 

 when thinning is practiced. 



107. Thinning the peach. — Peach trees are much inclined 

 to heavy bearing and, as a result, the trees often suffer dam- 

 age and the fruit runs small. This heavy bearing is largely 

 due to the nature of the fruiting wood. Although a part of 

 the fruit-buds may be removed by pruning, many more 

 fruits are frequently suffered to remain than the tree can 

 properly mature. "There is perhaps no other operation 

 concerning the desirability of which there is a inore complete 

 oneness of opinion among peach-growers than in regard to 

 thimiing when the trees are overloaded." ^ The principles 

 involved in peach thinning are covered in the treatment 

 preceding. 



Close ^ reports on thinning the peach with decided re- 

 sults in increasing the size of the fruit. The trees were five 

 years old (Elberta) and in vigorous condition. He classi- 

 fies his thinning as follows: " Common thimiing means that 

 at maturity the fruit should be four inches apart; 'me- 

 dium' means six inches apart, and 'severe' eight inches apart 

 when ripe." He also thinned part of the trees early and 

 others late: 



1 Gould, H. P. Loco cit. 



2 Close, C. P. Ann. Rept. Del. Agr. Exp. Sta. 1902. p. 89. 



